Former Indian cricketer Rudra Pratap Singh suggested India change the batting order for the last ODI match against England. Rishabh Pant batted at number four in the previous match, but according to Singh, the team should push him to be number five. The possible candidate to replace Pant is Suryakumar Yadav, the current number five.
Yadav is a promising candidate after earning a century during a T20I series against England earlier this month. While batting at number five in this ODI series, Yadav had scored 27 runs off 29 balls within an inning. In the same match, Pant was dismissed on duck with five balls. He had failed to give India their first run.
This shuffling suggestion came after India's previous ODI defeat in Manchester. England managed to beat India by 100 runs. Analysts said that India's batting side was a big contributor to this loss as Reece Topley from England managed to gain six wickets to land a century in that match.
“So, if there’s a set batsman in the side, you should play him at his favorable position," Singh explained. "People may say that a batter is good, so it does not matter what number you send him at. But according to me, it does matter."
"Because he gets accustomed to playing in that position; there are many other factors like the condition of the ball at the time of his arrival, which probably adds to that.”
Singh also mentioned that Virat Kohli, India's former captain, used to change the batting order regularly. Kohli usually would bat at number three. However, he sometimes would give up his position to other players, like KL Rahul. This strategy had worked for the team in the past.
India batting side issue
India captain Rohit Sharma gave an interview after the second ODI match, where he also acknowledged the weakness in India's batting side.
"We have spoken about that a lot, it has happened in the 2019 World Cup, also the Champions trophy, and a few other games as well where we were put under pressure and we lost wickets and we were 20 for 3 or 40 for 4," Sharma said.
"That is where I want the guys to change their mindset a little bit and try and see if they can be a little positive and try and take the game on."
According to reports, India's batters do not have issues with landing runs. For example, Shikhar Dhawan has recorded 500 runs in 12 ODI series since last year. However, his strike rate is 82.69. Among the current team members, Pant, Yadav, and Hardik Pandya are the only ones who have notched more than 100 strike rates in the ODI category.
In comparison, England has more players with a strike rate exceeding 100 in the ODI category since last year. They include England white-ball captain Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, and Ben Stokes. Buttler's strike rate is at 152.55.
The last match of the series will be held at Manchester's Old Trafford on Sunday. This will also be Kohli's last appearance as he won't be joining the team for the West Indies series due to a groin injury.
